Event Details
Please join the Anthropology department Friday, April 14, at 4:30 p.m. in Carnegie 06A for senior major Zaryn Prussia’s Honors defense. Zaryn will present his paper “Food and Sovereignty: Enacting Mino-bimaadiziwin in Gaa-waabaabiganikaag.”
Zaryn shared, "This community-based research dibaajimowin (storytelling) examines the extent to which food insecurity and chronic diseases have become serious problems in my community, Gaa-waabaabiganikaag, the White Earth Reservation. To better understand these problems, think of solutions, and learn how we can create food sovereignty collectively and individually, I worked with staff at the Extension office of the White Earth Tribal and Community College and with local gardeners. Taking a community-based Anishinaabe-centered approach, I listened to stories, conducted interviews, reflected, and dialogued with the land through planting seeds, weeding, ceremony, and helping out at cultural workshops. Based on my experiences in White Earth and literature review, I argue that food insecurity and chronic disease stem from a disruption of Mino-Bimaadiziwin, 'well-being' or 'good-living,' which as a way of life relies on balanced and reciprocal relationships with all of creation. In this community-based research dibaajimowin (storytelling), we as a community, tell the story of our reservation in relationship to food, well-being, sovereignty, extractivism, and Mino-Bimaadiziwin. We do so to advocate for a resurgence of our traditional foodways in a cooperative and unified way, based on reciprocal, respectful and loving relationships, with the land and all of creation."We hope to see you there!
